Horne said: “I am personally hugely disappointed. There is a need for process reform, certainly a review of the process, so I will be talking to FIFA.

“For example, a cap on expenditure in the campaign, so for nine bidders to go all the way to Zurich isn’t necessary. There could be pre-elimination rounds. There are other ways to look at the process, not just bidding one year at a time.”

Horne, who was speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme, believes any reform would stop short of a breakaway from FIFA. “I don’t think it’s practical,” he said. “It is too reactionary. What I need to do is to build the relationships with the general secretaries and my incoming chairman, when selected, needs to build the relationships with the presidents and we continue to talk to the leading nations.”

Robertson said: “Eight people indicated in some way, shape or form that they were disposed to vote for us.

“The most astonishing thing is that in England we had the best technical evaluation, by common consent we did the best presentation and we got the fewest votes. We need to understand why.”